February 6, 2025
By: Dwayne Page
A man who allegedly threatened a woman with a machete has been arrested for domestic assault.
60-year-old Roger Dale Neal of Ridgeview Lane, Baxter (DeKalb County) is under a $5,000 bond and his court date is February 13.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on January 25 a deputy was summoned to Neal’s home due to a domestic assault. Upon arrival the officer spoke with a woman who said that Neal had threatened her with a machete and forced a locked door open by kicking it and breaking the lock. Neal allegedly admitted to breaking the door. His actions caused the woman to fear for her safety.
40-year-old Jay Lee Mullican of Big Hill Road, Liberty is charged with driving on a suspended license. His bond is $1,000. Sheriff Ray said that on January 24 at 1:57 a.m. a deputy ran a tag background check on a 2007 blue Mustang belonging to Mullican and it was shown to have no insurance. The officer already knew that Mullican’s license was suspended. Mullican had been cited on December 18 for driving on a suspended license and no insurance. He was placed into custody for this latest offense.
27-year-old Olivia Hope Barber of Forrest Avenue, Smithville is charged with resisting and evading arrest. Her bond is $10,000. Sheriff Ray said that on January 26 after receiving a call about Barber’s whereabouts, a deputy looking to serve an outstanding warrant against her, saw Barber running on Old West Point Road when she spotted him. Barber continued to evade arrest running down a hillside even after being warned by the officer to stop.
37-year-old Jenna Lee Wilson of Avant Circle, Alexandria is charged with resisting arrest. Her bond is $4,500. Sheriff Ray said that on November 27 at 10:46 p.m. a deputy along with an Alexandria Police officer tried to place Wilson under arrest on an active warrant but she refused to comply with verbal commands and became irate and combative. Alexandria Police have her charged with an assault on a first responder.
35-year-old Johnathan Daryl Lawson of Woodbury is charged with three counts of aggravated assault. His bond totals $22,500. Sheriff Ray said that on January 27 a deputy was called to Tubbs Street due to an unwanted guest. Upon arrival the officer spoke to a woman who reported that Lawson had come to the residence to talk to his daughter but that she refused to speak with him. Lawson became upset and allegedly brandished a firearm claiming he would kill everyone in the home including two women and a man. Lawson’s actions placed everyone there in fear of serious bodily injury.
28-year-old Ronald Barbosa Gutierrez of Smith Road, Smithville is charged with a second offense of driving on a revoked license. His bond is $3,000 and he will be in court February 13. Sheriff Ray said that on January 28 a deputy pulled over a Hyundai for a traffic violation and spoke with the driver, Gutierrez. A background check through central dispatch revealed that his license was revoked due to a Warren County DUI and that he had a July, 2024 DRL charge against him in Putnam County.
42-year-old Jimmy Joel Farris of Pine Orchard Road, Smithville is charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver. His bond is $25,000 and his court date is February 20. Sheriff Ray said that on January 31 a detective was patrolling East Broad Street when he noticed that the driver of a blue Pontiac failed to deploy a turn signal. The detective pulled over the vehicle and spoke with people in the car including Farris. During a search, the detective found a bag containing a crystal-like substance believed to be methamphetamine that weighed 0.6 grams. The bag was recovered from the passenger side in the door panel near where Farris was seated. Farris allegedly admitted that the baggie belonged to him.
36-year-old Jeffery Dale Penuel, Jr. of Mount Juliet is charged with a second offense of driving under the influence and driving on a revoked license. His bond is $7,000 and he will be in court February 13. Sheriff Ray said that on February 1 a deputy was dispatched to Nashville Highway due to a report of a reckless driver. The complainant said a white Nissan Sentra was traveling Nashville Highway and almost hit two other vehicles and a curb before pulling into a filling station. Upon arrival where the car stopped, the officer spoke with the driver, Penuel. The automobile sustained damage to wheels on the passenger side. Penuel smelled of alcohol, his eyes were red and watery, and his speech was slurred. Penuel was also very unsteady on his feet. He submitted to but performed poorly on field sobriety tasks. Penuel had a prior DUI conviction in Wilson County on August 21, 2019 and a February 9, 2018 offense for driving on a revoked license in Lebanon.
26-year-old Jose Alexandro Beckham of Lower Helton Road, Alexandria is charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver and public intoxication. His bond is $11,500 and he will be in court February 20. Sheriff Ray said that on February 3 a deputy was dispatched to an address on Tramel Branch where a man was reported to be knocking on a door. Upon arrival the officer confronted Beckham, who had a beer in his hand, and placed him under arrest for public intoxication. Beckham smelled of alcohol and his eyes were watery and dilated. While conducting a search incident to arrest the deputy heard Beckham say he had methamphetamine in his wallet. The officer found a clear baggie with a crystal-like substance believed to be methamphetamine that weighed 1.65 grams.